Windsor Castle intruder was armed with crossbow, say police
News

Windsor Castle intruder was armed with crossbow, say police

POLICE have said the intruder arrested in the grounds of Windsor Castle on Christmas morning was carrying a crossbow.

The 19-year-old from Southampton was arrested at around 8.30am on December 25 by officers from Thames Valley Police and the Metropolitan Police.

Since being taken into custody, the man has since undergone a mental health assessment and been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

According to The Sun newspaper, the man released a Snapchat video shortly before his arrest, in which he said he was going to attempt to assassinate Queen Elizabeth and didn't expect to survive.

Revenge

He added that it was in revenge for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, or Amritsar massacre, in which British soldiers shot and killed hundreds of peaceful protestors in India.

Queen Elizabeth was spending her second consecutive Christmas at Windsor Castle instead of Sandringham as a result of Covid-19 restrictions.

In a statement, the Met said security processes were triggered within moments of the man entering the grounds and he did not enter any buildings.

Enquiries into the full circumstances of the incident are now being progressed by Metropolitan Police Specialist Operations, added the statement.